The present invention relates to a connector provided with a function for detecting a half-fitted state.
One example of a connector provided with a function for detecting a half-fitted state is described in JP 11-185880. In this example, as shown in FIG. 12 of this specification, a locking arm 3 provided on an upper face of a first housing 1 bends resiliently upwards while two housings 1 and 2 are being fitted together, this bent locking arm 3 pressing against a slider 4 provided on an upper face of the second housing 2 and causing a spring 5 to compress. When the two housings 1 and 2 reach a correctly fitted state, the locking arm 3 returns resiliently to a locking state and is released from the slider, and the slider 4 is pushed back to its original position.
In the case where the fitting operation is halted while two housings 1 and 2 are in a half-fitted state, the spring 5 causes the slider 4 to push the locking arm 3 back, this separating the two housings 1 and 2. That is, the separation of the two housings 1 and 2 allows the half-fitted state to be detected.
In the conventional connector, the locking arm 3 and the slider 4 are provided on the separate housings 1 and 2, this locking arm 3 making contact with the slider 4 when the locking arm 3 has been bent in a direction of separation relative to the housing 1. Consequently, space is required above the housing 2 both for providing the slider 4, and for housing the locking arm 3 between the housing 2 and the slider 4. As a result, the size of the connector increases.
The present invention has taken the above problem into consideration, and aims to reduce the height of the connector.
According to the invention there is provided an electrical connector comprising first and second housings engageable on a fitting axis, said first housing having a pivotable locking arm at the exterior thereof and aligned with said fitting axis, said locking arm being engageable with a locking tooth of said second housing by resilient pivoting from a rest position to an active position and back to the rest position, and said connector further including a biasing member at the exterior of said first housing and adapted for movement along said axis, said second housing having an abutment adapted to push said biasing member along said axis as said first and second housings are engaged, and wherein said biasing member and locking arm are disposed laterally side by side on the outer surface of said first housing.
In this specification the term fitting axis refers generally to the direction of movement of said connectors during fitting and separation.
Preferably the locking arm and biasing member are flush at the outer surface, and in the preferred embodiment are also flush with the outer surface of the first housing.
Preferably the positioning means comprises a slider slidable in a guideway defined by said first housing, said slider having a coil spring for contact with said abutment and compressible with respect to the slider in the fitting direction on engagement of said housings, said locking arm having a stopper or arresting member engageable with said slider in the active position to prevent relative movement of said slider in the fitting directions said stopper being disengaged in the rest position of said locking arm.
The slider provides a means of detecting half fitting of the housings, and of releasing the compression load of the coil spring when the housings are fully engaged.
Preferably the slider includes arms on either side of the locking arm, each slider arm housing a coil spring for contact with the second housing. This arrangement tends to avoid misalignment of the housings since the spring force is distributed to both sides.